Many Bulls fans would have a hard time deciding if they despise Jerry Reinsdorf or Arturas Karnisovas more. Reinsdorf probably gets the nod, purely for longevity's sake, and the fact that he's ultimately got the last word in anything that goes on within the Chicago Bulls organization. Karnisovas isn't far behind. Since being hired from Denver, primarily due to his impact on their title team several years ago, which was built around Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, he's been abysmal in the Windy City. Just how poorly has he done for Chicago, and how much longer until he's shown the door?
The Numbers That Stand Out
Many see the results at the end of each season and immediately turn to the man in charge of the roster and coaching staff. While this might not always be fair, in Karnisovas's case, it's more than justified. Since arriving in 2020, the quality and quantity of draft selections have been the most glaring weakness. In his first draft with the team, he inherited the fourth overall selection. Fresh off a 22-43 campaign, he selected Patrick Williams to right the ship. Williams has zero All-Star nods, zero All-NBA selections, and won zero NBA awards. He was named to the NBA's All-Rookie Second Team, but given that he was picked in the top five, Chicago expected more.
Patrick Williams is officially a bust:
— Die-Hard Chicago Bulls Fans (@Bullsfans) January 9, 2025
Year 1: 9.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 48% FG
Year 2: 9.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 52% FG
Year 3: 10.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 46% FG
Year 4: 10.0 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 44% FG
YEAR 5: 9.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 39% FG
Yet the Bulls paid him $90M 💀 pic.twitter.com/YGvzy7wALc
The draft selections in that class that were picked after Williams have totaled three All-Star nods, two All-NBA selections, one Most Improved Player award, one NBA Sixth Man of the Year honor, and several other sizeable contributors. Deni Avdija and Desmond Bane are on that list and will likely snag awards or All-Star nominations in the next few seasons. The most ironic name is Tre Jones, who is arguably a better player currently for the Bulls, and he was selected 41st overall on that night. Since then, Chicago hasn't had a pick in the top ten and traded away a 6th and an 8th overall selection in two drafts to the Orlando Magic.
Endless Mediocrity
Perhaps the most confusing part of the Karnisovas tenure, and a significant reason Reinsdorf has absorbed a hefty amount of blame, is wondering how he still has a job. During his five-year stay, the Bulls have had four All-Star selections, one All-NBA team member, and one playoff game won. Three months from now, the entire group drafted behind Williams will have more All-Star nods than the Bulls franchise has boasted in the last five seasons. Massive extensions for Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic played an enormous role in the inability to add other All-Star talents.
Artūras Karnišovas speaks to Bulls fans after the trade deadline. pic.twitter.com/USl3q1XOdN
— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) February 6, 2025
In terms of wins and losses, Karnisovas has been one of the worst in the organization's history. He's 206-224, or a 47.9% winning rate with one postseason appearance. John Paxon, who was in charge for the six years prior, had a winning percentage of 47.6, but did make the playoffs four times. Only one other front office leader saw 400 games with that low of a clip, and he was fired following his sixth campaign. With this being Karnisovas's sixth year, will the trend continue?
One Whiffed Trade, And Then Historic Silence
One of the most frustrating aspects of the Karnisovas era has been the trade market. When he first arrived, and Chicago was on the cusp of playoff contention, he was aggressive in pursuing Nikola Vucevic at his first trade deadline in charge of the front office. Many were excited to have someone in control who was willing to take risks, but it quickly backfired for the Bulls. In the end, they traded for a player who has made zero All-Star teams since his arrival, and traded away two top-eight draft selections alongside Wendell Carter Jr., who was selected seventh overall in the 2018 draft. This move catapulted Orlando's rebuild to playoff contention, while tanking Chicago's chances for the next five years.
Here's the deal: The Bulls land Nikola Vucevic and Al Farouq Aminu for Otto Porter, Wendell Carter Jr., and two first-round picks. Huge addition for Chicago, who remains in pursuit of Lonzo Ball. The Magic are moving toward a rebuild now with Aaron Gordon deal on deck.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021
After that, he proceeded to make no trades for 894 days, the league's longest streak until February 2024. With his job potentially being on the line in the next six months, does he revert to his aggressive nature and fire sale at the 2026 trade cutoff?
More significant blunders include the Noa Essengue selection over Derik Queen, the continued retention of head coach Billy Donovan, and the failure to trade Zach LaVine or DeMar DeRozan for any significant value.
Will the Arturas Karnisovas' mound of terrible maneuvers continue to grow, or will his redemption arc begin over the next few months?
